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Cooktop surfaces

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    Cooktop surfaces

    Hi everyone. Love this forum, just joined and starting to post. Thanks for all the great posts already here.

    I'm planning an outdoor kitchen and although I've never had even a portable one, thinking more and more I'd like to include a built-in griddle. I like the idea of doing breakfast outside, as well as more weeknight dinners. I'll definitely get a santa maria style grill and maybe also a small smoker like the KBQ for fun weekend cooks, so rather than a gas grill for weeknight speed & convenience, I'm thinking a griddle would give more versatility. And if I really want to do a quick grill, could always torch a chimney of charcoal in the santa maria.

    Since I'd be going for a built-in griddle, I want to get the decision right, and won't have opportunity to actually experience using it before I decide.

    I wondered if anyone has advice or experience on how different models function given their cooking surfaces. A big use case for me would be breakfast, and of course overall versatility. When I cook inside, there are definitely things I'd only do in a nonstick or seasoned pan. But I do see videos of people cooking eggs directly on stainless steel griddles, etc. Budget permitting, I think I'd be inclined to go for something like the Evo, which has a seasoned carbon steel surface. I'm also thinking about the Lynx Asado, which isn't seasoned, but has an aluminum core for responsiveness and heat distribution -- I enjoy cooking on tri-ply pans like this. Wondering how the different cooking surfaces have factored into others' choices and experiences. Also with the Evo, don't know if I'd like or hate it being round w/ no sides.

    Thanks

    #2
    I don’t know enough to directly answer your question, but I will reinforce your thinking. My griddle has replaced my gas grill. Anything else that I would want to grill, I got the charcoal for.

    I recommend joining “The Griddle Group - by The Flat Top King” on Facebook. There are a lot of members with both ceramic and metal griddles, and they can give you the pluses and minuses of each.

    Comment


      #3
      I can't speak to stainless griddles, as the last one of those I used was when I was flipping burgers at a Wendy's in 1982 as a teenager. I do know my Camp Chef flat top is used much more often than my Weber gas grill, and I plan to eventually build an outdoor kitchen using the flat top and my kamado.

      Somehow, having used stainless skillets and cast iron or carbon steel, I feel that a seasoned surface is more non-stick than stainless can ever be. But then if its exposed to the weather (not under a roof), it's also subject to rust and issues like that. If your outdoor kitchen is protected, I would look for sure at a cold rolled steel surface of some sort. If its out in the elements, you can probably do well with stainless - you will just need more oil to prevent sticking.

      If you have skillets in each type - cast iron or carbon steel, and stainless steel, run them side by side on the stove top and see which surface you like better for cooking different things. That should help in your decision.

      BBQ Guys sells some nice built in griddles, and that EVO you mention is for sure a nice unit. Attjack has one, and I am sure others do as well. The EVO is stainless EXCEPT for the cook top - which is seasoned steel.

      Comment


        #4
        Welcome to the Pit joshlh! Good luck with building your outdoor kitchen.

        Comment


          #5
          Welcome! My new outdoor kitchen build will be getting underway shortly. I also initially envisioned a gasser as part of the arsenal but moved away from it to a flat top. I purchased a Pit Boss Ultimate 5 Burner and absolutely love it. I’m using it on its cart now but will build it in to the kitchen. The ceramic finish works beautifully. Less than a minute to clean at the end of the cook and it looks pristine. Also, since I live in Florida, I expect this finish to resist rust and other problems in our brutal humidity.

          Comment


            #6
            I love the surface of my EVO and have never experienced a better cooking surface.

            Comment


              #7
              Definitely get the griddle. Also do not undersize it, I have a portable 36 inch and it is fantastic. I do have a smaller countertop gas griddle (Blackstone 22 inch) but really I picked it up because it was on sale and the excuse was "it is for the hurricane kit". Which it is, if the power is out the electric stove will not work but the griddle will. I also have some butane single burners for the same reason.

              Anyhow if I were to build an outdoor kitchen, the 36 inch griddle would certainly be incorporated. Along with either a double sink or one LARGE sink, I am on the fence there.

              As for material, I already have a Blackstone 36 inch so I would just use that. Cook top is cold rolled steel, so that is what I would have. But if I were going all new stainless would be highly attractive, because stainless does not rust. You can always brush on oil for non-stick, but really it is not that big of a deal. You are going to clean the griddle with a scraper anyway. For really stubborn stuff a blast of water will release stuck on things and then it scrapes off easy. But unless you really neglect the cook top, non-stainless is OK.

              What I would go for in an outdoor kitchen is a built in grill, a built in griddle, minimum of 2 burners, a sink, and counter prep space. Ideally I would have 4 burners and a place for my ceramic smoker AND a gas grill and the griddle and the sink and prep space.

              Comment


                #8
                When I built my outdoor kitchen I put in a Power Burner and bought a stainless griddle to use with it. Gives me more options.





                Comment


                  #9
                  How handy are the burners? Just thinking about setting pots down on the griddle if needed rather than separate burners. Going to be pinched for space at some point, and more counter room is always nice. Thinking about griddle, santa maria grill built in, gozney dome pizza oven, and not sure about burners and a shelf for a KBQ. Also a sink, fridge, ice, trash, and of course drawers, shelving, hooks for stuff.

                  Comment


                  • joshlh
                    joshlh commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Ha ha, well now I want a power burner AND a dedicated wok burner. Will have to make some decisions based on space. This (https://norcalovenworks.com/wok-rang...ertop-install/) looks ready to go for a built in wok burner, couldn’t find much else like this. I guess doing a custom build on one of the standing burners might be the way to go. Edit: or maybe a WokMon on a power burner? Old Glory - have you tried this since your post on that?
                    Last edited by joshlh; January 7, 2023, 09:38 AM.

                  • tbob4
                    tbob4 commented
                    Editing a comment
                    You from the Sacramento area?

                  • Old Glory
                    Old Glory commented
                    Editing a comment
                    joshlh I have not tried the WokMan. The Power burner hits 65,000 BTUs the Wok Burner 160,000 BTUs. The Power Burner works but the dedicated wok burner is insane power.

                  #10
                  My outdoor kitchen is small and free standing on the edge of my deck. It just consists of a 22” Webber Kettle and a 28” Blackstone griddle. I can cook just about anything on these two things. I have a large stainless steel area between the two cookers where I can set my deep fryer and or portable induction burner or set up a sous vide station. I did a write up about my build here.

                  I started planning a outdoor cooking center months ago and I finally finished it this past week. It was fulfilling project and I am so happy on how it turned out. Are there things I would have done different? Yup Were there a couple hundred + curse words said over the last two months? Yes there was! Were there a few


                  I now have my Grilla OG pellet grill sitting to the right of my outdoor kitchen as you can see in the photo below.

                  Click image for larger version  Name:	B338ABA7-5AC2-40B7-9F97-99B8BFF626DE.jpg Views:	0 Size:	5.47 MB ID:	1357377


                  The griddle is great to have outdoors. No need to worry about the splatter when using it. When using it to get a heavy sear on meat or seafood it doesn’t stink up your house for hours or days. A griddle is a great cooker to have for entertaining. Everyone loves cooking on a griddle. Please let me know if you have any questions about building in a griddle after you read my post above and I will help when I can.

                  Comment


                  • barelfly
                    barelfly commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I just love how you did your cook area!

                  #11
                  Welcome to the pit from NC.

                  Comment


                    #12
                    I also recommend having a flatop griddle whole heartedly. I love my three burner Pit Boss Ultimate and use it more than any other of my cookers. It’s so versatile. It’s not a built in but it could be. Anyway, whichever brand/type you get, you’ll be happy you did. Only advice is to get the biggest one you can fit in your space and budget.

                    Comment


                      #13
                      I have a Blackstone three burner (about 2 years) that I got from Lowes that I use a lot. I live in central FL and it took me a little bit to figure out how to take care of the surface. I quit using water on it and just scrape aggressively and ALWAYS add a thin coat of oil while the surface is still warm when finished. This has helped not getting frustrated with the surface as I don't get any small rust spots. Everything I cook either generates some grease/oil (sausage, bacon or burgers) or I add some oil to the surface for cooking.

                      My wife doesn't care for the flavor of over easy eggs on the griddle top even adding a fair amount of butter so she asks me to use our indoor egg pan on the griddle which works pretty well. Scrambled eggs and omelets turn out really good on the griddle.

                      All in all cooking on the griddle is pretty easy and just takes a little trial and error (keep the heat lower than you initially think) to figure out what works for your family.

                      Comment


                        #14
                        For me, the main deal is a cover. Have a 4 burner pitboss ultimate on a covered deck, open on 3 sides. Desert environment here, low humidity, 9 inches moisture annually. Kitchen has evolved. Wok burner, Green egg, Fuego gas grill, MAK pellet smoker, griddle. Front patio, under solar panels, a weber gas grill, a cast iron chiminea, and Breeo fire pit with as yet unused Titan Santa Maria gizzie. And a bunch of apple and cherry wood.


                        Comment


                        • fzxdoc
                          fzxdoc commented
                          Editing a comment
                          Nice collection of toys you have there!

                        #15
                        fzxdoc Thank you. Forgot the Ooni 16 pizza oven.

                        Comment

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